Zeal for God

 2 Kings 13-14; 2 Chronicles 25; 2 Timothy 3 

“  ‘My Father! My Father!’ he cried. ‘The chariots and horsemen of Israel!’                            Elisha said, ‘Get a bow and some arrows’; and he did so…‘Strike the ground.’ He struck it three times and stopped.”

1 Kings 13:14-19

God’s victory in our lives is not a formula or a charm that we can wear around our necks, nor a memorized prayer that we pray. The chariots and horsemen of Israel were the hosts of heaven that surrounded Elisha and that the king of Israel wanted to manipulate for his own purposes. Jehoash did evil in the eyes of the Lord, practiced idolatry and divination, yet still wanted God’s blessing and deliverance. Jehoash lacked zeal for the purposes of the Lord. His striking of the arrows on the ground and stopping at three times symbolized his limited obedience and zeal for God’s ways. Elisha represented a life fully yielded to the purposes and glory of God.

Which person do we most identify with?

“Lord Jesus, I offer myself to you today and pray for your zeal and Spirit to fill me for your glory. I repent for trusting in any formulas rather than in your living Presence and Word in my life.”